Thanks to a one-two punch of cold weather and a sudden proliferation of Quaker products, my household has been on a massive oatmeal kick lately. It began with a breakfast of Gingersnap Oatmeal from the lovely Kitschen Bitsch, moved to a week-long affair with Mark Bittman's Savory Oatmeal, and has now evolved into an almost all-oatmeal diet.

Except for the tiny pots I'm forced to wash three times a day, this is not a bad thing.

Frugal, filling, kid-friendly, and practically a blank culinary canvas, oatmeal is prime for at-home experimentation. Today's recipes, for French Toast Oatmeal and Banana Nut Oatmeal, came about after two weeks of toying with ingredients. A little nutmeg here, a little vanilla extract here, and voila: two sweet, flavorful concoctions perfect for a fast morning meal.

This isn't to say you can't mess with the ratios—the quantities are completely adjustable to your tastes.

One quick note: in both cases, the most important ingredient is salt. I accidentally left it out on a few occasions, and the flavors weren't as sharp as usual. Just a few shakes will do you.

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